Things I’m Lovin’ Lately – March Edition.

I don’t know about y’all but I absolutely HATE losing an hour on my weekends. Yeah, yeah, I know we end up getting more daylight.

Blah, blah, blah…

But, as Bryan always says, “I don’t even give a care.” It’s an hour out of my favorite day of the week! Sundayfunday quickly becomes Sunday not-so-fun and rush to get everything done day. That’s a mouthful.

Anywoooo, to make me happier on this hour losing day, I decided to do some cooking, some wine drinkin’ and a post on Things I’m Lovin’ Lately . It’s been awhile, hasn’t it? 5 months to be exact. Apparently, I wasn’t too excited about anything this winter…

Well it’s a good thing winter is over…Oh wait… I live in south Florida 🙂

Rich in vitamin A, iron and fiber, canned pumpkin promotes healthy eyesight, energy production and digestion. Pumpkin is typically harvested in autumn so you may not be able to purchase fresh pumpkin year round- canned pumpkin allows you to benefit from this vegetable’s nutrients throughout the year! A serving of canned pumpkin blended into breads, muffins or pancakes can help you meet or exceed your daily requirements. I’ve been using it to make homemade dog treats and muffins, and I’ve been adding it to Overnight Oats, tacos and Smoothies.

2. Nasoya Extra Firm Tofu

I’ve tried several types of tofu and this continues to be my favorite. Apparently I’m not the only one who loves it… it continues to be America’s #1 tofu and inspires consumers to make healthy change to their diets. I know tofu is an acquired taste but don’t forget that it increases your protein while reducing fat and cholesterol found in other meat-based options. Nasoya is made with 100% North American soybeans and offers the highest quality and freshest taste!

3. Sweet Potatoes

Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes may be one of nature’s unsurpassed sources of beta-carotene. Several recent studies have shown the superior ability of sweet potatoes to raise our blood levels of vitamin A. This benefit may be particularly true for children. In several studies from Africa, sweet potatoes were found to contain between 100-1,600 micrograms (RAE) of vitamin A in every 3.5 ounces—enough, on average, to meet 35% of all vitamin A needs, and in many cases enough to meet over 90% of vitamin A needs (from this single food alone) (source).

I’ve always been a big sweet potato fan, but lately I can’t seem to get enough of these Thanksgiving tradition favorites. I’ve been eating them baked with a little butter, using them to make burgers, and putting them into chili.

Bottom line: I love me some sweet potatoes. Sometimes I even eat them for breakfast!

4. Coconut Flakes

Coconut Flakes are packed full of flavor and make a healthy snack. They are also lovely when used to decorate cakes and pies, and you use them in granola, trail mixes, or just to munch on. I recently added them to my New Favorite Smoothie!

5. Pitted Dates

Dates are a good source of various vitamins and minerals. Its a good source of energy, sugar and fiber. Essential minerals such as calcium, iron, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium and zinc are found in dates. They also contain vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, vitamin A and vitamin K.

Dates are rich in dietary fiber, antioxidants and the essential minerals potassium and magnesium. A diet that regularly includes low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like dates may enhance your health and help decrease your chance of developing many chronic diseases. Available both fresh and dried, dates can be substituted for raisins in baked goods, combined with nuts and rolled oats in granola…(source)

Or use them to make granola bars like I did. Trust me, you won’t be sorry. 🙂